第１３５０堀：事態は蚊帳の外で (Part1)
### Chapter 1350: Outside the Loop
**Side: Yuki**
I wake up to the gentle touch of the morning sun.
I stretch my body, savoring the rare feeling of being truly at rest.
Today, there are no guards around—no wives, no Orelia and her squad.
After all, I’m in my own home base, the inn. If a hostile force were to breach this place, it would mean I’d already lost, so I might as well be completely at ease.
"Still, yesterday was more fun than I expected."
As I stretch, I find myself reminiscing about the previous day.
After the banquet, we held tournaments for card games and Uno, followed by everyone enjoying the baths to their heart's content.
It felt like the wives were finally able to take some personal time off, which was the best part.
Usually, our days off are spent as a whole family, but I’m reminded that this kind of break is nice, too.
It makes me nostalgic for my days of living alone.
Being able to use your time and money exactly as you please—it really is a wonderful feeling.
"Well then, time to get up and prepare for the shooting game."
Today is the day for the gun-based battle royale game that Aslin and the others proposed yesterday.
The concept is based on an online game from Earth: a 100-player battle royale.
Lately, there are versions with characters who have superpowers, which get pretty heated, but we’re sticking to the original version where physical abilities are no different from a normal human’s.
That’s exactly why tactics—how you choose to fight—become so crucial.
That depth is why it’s popular among my wives, and we play it quite often.
Since this was a spur-of-the-moment idea from yesterday, I’m the one handling the map preparation, while Zargis is in charge of maintaining and checking the equipment.
I still need to verify that the weapons are randomly placed as planned. Everyone is looking forward to it, so I want to make sure there are no issues before we start. Just as I’m thinking this:
"My Lord. My apologies for interrupting your rest."
Kirika suddenly calls out to me.
"Did something happen?"
"Yes."
For Kirika to disturb my time off, it must be something significant.
"Should we call off the shooting game?"
"No, it’s a delicate situation. Or rather, I believe we are currently unable to intervene."
"What do you mean?"
"First, My Lord, I have judged that this is a matter that should be kept between you and Seraria-sama."
"Understood. The location... let’s use my house."
"Yes. I shall go to inform Seraria-sama."
"I’m counting on you. I’ll head over there first."
With that, I pretend to go about my preparations and head toward my old residence.
It’s a detached house I had built for myself when I first arrived in this world.
I still use it when I want to relax alone or with a small group, and I’ve brought the early members, like Eris, here before.
Though, it’s rare to bring everyone here these days.
Simply put, the house isn't big enough to fit everyone.
I’m truly realizing how difficult things get as the family grows.
"For now, I might as well make some coffee."
I take instant coffee from the cupboard and pour hot water into a mug. Just as I finish brewing it, Seraria arrives.
She’s unusually dressed in a yukata, and her hair isn't styled in its signature drill-curl.
"Just waking up?"
"That’s right. I was sleeping quite comfortably."
"It’s been a long time since we had a real vacation. I suppose being glued to me is tiring in its own way."
"That... I can't deny that. I do try my best. We are very affectionate, after all."
"Well, we are a loving couple. Still, days like this are nice, aren't they? Here, coffee."
"Thank you."
Dirty jokes are just a normal part of married life for us, easy to brush off.
Man, I’ve been with Seraria for a long time now.
"Mmm. Delicious. So, what exactly happened?"
As Seraria asks, I turn my gaze toward Kirika.
"So, what is it?"
"Yes. It is unconfirmed information, but word has reached us that a Great Monster Outbreak has occurred in a country outside the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance."
"Huh. I thought things had been quiet lately..."
Seraria doesn't raise her voice; instead, she sounds almost impressed as she shares her thoughts.
My reaction is much the same. I’m not particularly panicked; there’s no real sense of urgency.
"A Great Outbreak—is it a massive monster spawn? Or something artificial from a dungeon?"
I decide to clarify whether it’s a natural accumulation of magical energy or if a Dungeon Master has begun an invasion of the surface.
"No, we don't have those details yet. It is a country with which we have no diplomatic relations."
"Come to think of it, you said it was a country outside the alliance. Which one is it?"
"Yes. The location is a small country near the border of Litea and Rumel. Its name is the Principality of Suurus."
"The Principality of Suurus? I feel like I’ve heard that name somewhere..."
"Isn't that the place? The Saintess's Spring. The one you mentioned had spirits when you were surveying rare species."
"Ah, that’s it."
"Yes, exactly. The Principality of Suurus is the one that possesses that spirit spring."
Well, that’s... unexpected.
"Wait a second. Is the Principality of Suurus not part of the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance?"
"Correct. It is technically a country under the Litea umbrella, but they have yet to reveal their stance regarding the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance."
"By 'stance,' you mean they’re still undecided?"
"Who knows? Countries under Litea's umbrella are generally cohesive due to the prestige of the Litea Holy Kingdom—in other words, the name of Lilishe-sama. It’s a region that historically saw little war; there are countries of beastmen and high elves, right? Litea didn't have much war to begin with, thanks to the dispatch of healing mages and the weight of Lilishe-sama's name. So, they’re likely questioning whether there’s any need to seek protection under a new banner."
"Ah, I see."
The Litea Holy Kingdom itself suffered internal turmoil, but in the end, it was just a civil war.
Externally, they seem to have navigated things well; the countries within the Litea sphere are relatively stable, so they’re probably wondering if they even need to build new relationships.
It’s true that since they are stable as they are, one could argue there’s no reason to go out of their way to establish new ties. New trends often bring new problems, so it’s not necessarily right or wrong to stay put.
Well, they’ll certainly be left behind by the flow of the world, but small nations with limited national power have limited options...
It’s not uncommon on Earth, either, for countries to leave their diplomatic windows to larger nations while keeping to themselves.
Heck, not every country in the world participates in the UN Security Council to ensure their safety. They just form regional defense organizations instead.
It just goes to show that the world isn't so easily brought together.